You know the saying
“off with the old and on with the new”?
Well, as you are reading this, we have (hopefully) shaken off the restrictions imposed on us by the pandemic that is COVID-19. However, whilst we get used to having the virus with us, August gives us the opportunity to shake of the old and look forward to new and exciting times.
Over the last few months we have seen weddings taking place in a number of our churches and as always these have been joyous occasions, we have even come to appreciate just how special small weddings can be, even with face coverings. We pray for these couples at the beginning of a new adventure into married life.
As we slowly and gradually move to the “new normal”, I would like to think that the spirit of the first lockdown continued; where volunteers came forward to help those in our society who were isolated and vulnerable, for the people who greeted us from the other side of the road when we went on our daily walk and genuinely seemed to mean it when they said ‘how are you?’,
But, for some, “getting back to normal” won’t be as easy as for others. Just as some people are excited to see society coming back to normal there will be others who are still very anxious. There will be many people who can’t wait for large gatherings to resume but there will also be those who can’t yet face that, who are still scared to go outside their own home.
As a society we are going to need to embrace both sides, together with those who sit somewhere in the middle. We must learn to be considerate of others in a new and different way as we all try to navigate the ‘new normal’ ourselves.
As the author and motivational speaker wrote “it’s not the situation, but whether we react negative or respond positive to the situation that is important”.
However, this isn’t the first time that the world had been asked to embrace a new normal. Much of the teaching of Jesus was based on a new covenant with God the Father, and that covenant was love, the love of God for his children. All His children, no matter what background, status or colour!
He taught us about a “new normal” way to live.
I hope you all have a wonderful summer, whether on the beach, sailing on the river, camping in some area of outstanding natural beauty or just chilling in the back garden with a good book and glass of wine, let’s look forward to new beginnings, however they begin!
Love and blessing, Rev Mandy